Blessings of a Second Chance
by MartiOwlsten
Summary: Sometimes, even if two people are meant to be, life gets in the way. Tumnus waited and she never came back. Lucy mourns for her lost love. Both pray for peace and healing... can they have a second chance, despite time and space? [movie based, AU, LxT]
1. Wasted Life and Vanishing Light

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything that is from C.S. Lewis's work. This is just an idea I had, and thought to get it out. Movie based, thank you very much.

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**A/N: as mentioned in my disclaimer, this is movie based, and I suppose it could also be AU. Just FYI.**

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Tumnus sat in his chair by the fire, wondering when he would see Aslan again. He was very old now, having lived many sorrowful years in his home, mostly wondering if he'd ever see… well, someone else. 

Lucy.

As he sat by the fire, he wondered what had become of her. She'd gone away, that much he knew, most likely back to her country of birth, Spare Oom, wherever that was. Why she had left so suddenly and – to his heart's great ache – without saying goodbye, he had never known. Aslan himself had not appeared since they had left, though Tumnus could swear by the Lion that he'd seen him once, very long ago, in the corner of his eye.

But Lucy…

He remembered when he'd first met her. At the time, she was merely a child. He'd cared for her as he would a child of his own… but then she began to grow. He'd been with her at Cair Paravel, her friend and confidant. Slowly, her smiles had become brighter and her eyes had become brighter and deeper… and yet with all her maturity, she was still as kind and loving as ever. That part of her never changed at all…

He sighed and reached for his teacup, which sat on the table beside him. He'd loved her. As to when it was that he'd come to love his Queen, he wasn't sure. It was the kind of love that snuck up behind him, and before he realized it, it was apart of him as if it had always been, though he'd known better.

But he was a faun. She was a Daughter of Eve. Despite his affections for her, and despite the fact that fauns and humans did not marry, she had suitors, and he was sure that she did not love him in return. How could she? She could no sooner love a horse or toad. And, even if she did, nothing could have been done about it.

Now, as he sat in his old age, having spent many a year back in his old home (which was the closest place to Spare Oom that he could live, having never been there himself and not knowing where it was exactly), he wished that he could have at least told Lucy he loved her before she'd gone away. If she was going to return, it wouldn't be within his lifetime… which was fading fast…

Tumnus placed his teacup back on the table with a smile. He wasn't surprised, but he'd felt Him come, and he knew it was time. Perhaps he'd find peace with Aslan…

"Hello, young faun," Aslan said coming from the shadows and sitting down before Tumnus. Amazingly, there suddenly seemed to be room for him where Tumnus was sure there wouldn't have been before. The fireplace seemed farther away, and the roof seemed higher… There was also a gleam in His eyes. Noting that Aslan wasn't one to age, Tumnus supposed the Lion's joke was more of the truth; he could be as old as the mountains and he would still be younger than Aslan himself.

Tumnus looked up into Aslan's face (for even sitting, Aslan towered over him), "Oh, hello Aslan," He sat up slowly, "Will I go with you now?"

"You will in time," the Lion said quietly, "But I came to speak with you first."

Tumnus lowered his head, disappointed that he wouldn't be going with him today. He did want to find peace so…

He sighed, "What would you like to speak with me about?" He tried to be cheerful. After all, he was glad to see Aslan. Anyone would be. Had his legs not been so crippled with age, he'd have jumped up and greeted Aslan with a hug… much like Lucy used to do…

The Lion lowered his head and looked the faun in the face. "You need not hide your feelings from me, small one," he said at length.

Tumnus closed his eyes. He knew. Aslan knew. He'd come to speak about Lucy.

"I… I'm sorry Aslan," he said at last, hot tears coming to his eyes. "I fear I wasted my life. I couldn't help it… I just wanted to see her again. I hoped beyond hope that she'd return…" the tears came faster now, "It was the torment of my heart, for all these years! I loved her, but a faun, I could never have her… and so I never told her! Now… oh Aslan! Please say you'll take me with you now, and I'll finally have peace…"

Aslan gave a thoughtful rumble that Tumnus, had he not been so distraught, would have recognized as a small sigh. As it was, the faun was trembling with the release of having spoken aloud, for the first time, his most hidden and protected secret.

"Courage to you, dear Tumnus," Aslan said. The faun's tears began to dry, almost instantly. "I have come to you tonight," he continued, "To bring you peace, but not in the long and final journey."

Drying the last remaining tears on his red scarf, now faded from too many days in the sun, he looked up in surprise. "No? Then how?" was all he could manage to ask. How could he find peace other than by leaving his life behind?

Aslan gave him a small smile, or as much as a smile as a Lion can manage. He did not speak for a moment. Tumnus was more curious than he'd ever been before. He also, if his bones weren't just mistaken (or perhaps it was just due to the fact that he was so close to Aslan) felt younger and more alive.

"You came to love Lucy very dearly," Aslan said.

"Such a shameful faun, I did!" the faun cried.

"There is no shame in love," Aslan said, "I have come to ask you a question. If you could leave Narnia behind you, leave the very world as you know it, and had to face a long and rough journey over the course of many years, would you do so with my promise that you would meet her again when you were through?"

Tumnus felt his eyes widen, "Yes!" he said quickly, "Oh, I would, Aslan…" tears welled in his eyes again, "But I am an old faun, now. And, were I to see her again, wouldn't I once again be back in my greatest misery? I am still a faun. Nothing I do could change that…" Tumnus' voice faded to a whisper. Aslan had a curious gleam in his eyes…

"Would you be willing to leave _this_ life behind?" Aslan asked again.

Looking into the large Lion's eyes, Tumnus finally understood. But, the question was, could he do that? For Lucy? Oh, he knew, he'd do anything for her. There was no question.

"Yes," he said simply.

Aslan touched his nose to Tumnus' forehead, and with a puff of warm breath, Tumnus, the faun, knew no more.

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Lucy sat, somewhat dejectedly, on a soft chair at her window sill, thinking. This was something she did more and more frequently now. She couldn't help it. 

Much to her older sibling's dismay, Lucy had sunken, somewhat, into a depression. Not by choice, of course, but there are some things that one cannot control. Lucy knew this. She knew she wasn't acting her age, and was drawing more down every day. Yet, the more it happened, the more she thought, and the more she thought, the sadder she became. Peter and Susan had each found someone they loved and married, Edmund was engaged to a lovely girl, too. Lucy, though of age – seventeen – couldn't even bare to turn her thoughts to marriage.

It had come again to a lovely Saturday morning. Lucy stared out her window at the sunlight on the leaves and she gave a heavy sigh. The street below had many happy people bustling back and forth upon it, and truly, the old Lucy would have very much liked to have gone outside and spoken to them.

The old Lucy. She sighed again. That was before she'd left Narnia for good. Oh, how she missed that place! And yet, her heart was so very torn… she missed Narnia, but it was also the cause of her sadness.

Her mind wandered back to her very first trip into Narnia, as a young girl. She thought of this often. Hiding from Edmund, entering the great Wardrobe, stumbling into mounds of snow…

Mr. Tumnus.

Tears threatened to overwhelm her at the thought of him. Upon returning from her third, and final, trip into Narnia, the fullness of her situation hit her. Until that moment, she had not thought much about those she'd left behind after her first real time in that wonderful world. Even while meeting Caspian and helping Narnia to remember whom it was on her second trip, she simply hadn't thought about those who'd been left behind. That space of time in her own world, a whole year, had been hundreds of years in Narnia…

It wasn't until very recently that she'd begun thinking on her old friends, Tumnus most of all. He was long gone, in both Narnian days and her own. Her guilt had grown terribly, at not thinking of him in so long, and at also not saying goodbye to him.

Day after day, Lucy knelt and prayed for forgiveness for this, though she did know that it wasn't her fault she'd not said farewell. She still felt remorse, regardless. And there was guilt for other things as well… like not being able to move on. Had not Aslan told her to do that? To grow close to her own world? Oh, how she'd failed.

Why had she been so blind to him before? To Tumnus… well, that she knew. As a queen in Narnia, there was always so much to do, so much to learn… she had responsibilities. They'd kept her from thinking much on fancying anyone at all. It was now, grown in her own time, that she looked back at her friend and could now see what her Royal duties had kept her from doing before. Handsome he had been… not to her eyes then, perhaps, but certainly to her memory now.

And now it was far too late. He was gone, now, forever.

A knock at her door roused her from her thoughts. She quickly sat upright and brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"Oh, come in," she said, feeling her eyes to see if she'd been tearful again. She didn't like to cry in front of the others… it only worried them.

Edmund, a concerned look on his face, though kind, came in and closed the door behind him. "Morning, Lu. How are you feeling today?"

She did her best to face him and give him a bright smile, "Oh, I feel just lovely, Ed. You really needn't worry about me."

He smiled at her, "Have you been crying this morning? Tell the truth, Lu."

Ashamed, she turned her head down to look at her hands. "Not entirely."

Edmund sighed, "Lucy… what's wrong?"

She looked away, "You know what. You don't need to ask me that." Edmund was the only one of her siblings to know about her new feelings toward her long-gone friend. In a late-night conversation with him, after her sobbing had woken him, she'd confessed her anguish. While he didn't understand the how, exactly, he was kind to her feelings and was doing all that he could to help her be happy.

Edmund hung his head down. "That's not what I meant. I know you told me… you're sad. I know that. I miss all of _them_, too. But… Ah bugger," he stood and walked to her, kneeling down at her feet. "Lucy, I don't want to see you waste away like this. You're… fading. It's like… your light is going out. I can't bear it."

She turned and cast a kind look at her brother, her dark hair swirling around her sad face, "I know. Neither can I," she sighed and patted his hand, which was resting on her knee, "I'm praying for peace, Edmund. I… how can I explain this? I don't know what can heal my heart. I love him. I miss him. I don't know what can fix this… all I can do is pray," a small smile perched on her lips with a little humor, "Aslan always knew me best, Ed. I pray that he, by any other name, will still know what can mend me. I sure don't."

Edmund met her eyes. "Will you come to the park today? It's only to the one just down the road. Peter and Susan said they might stop by. Will you come?"

Lucy sighed. She knew that drowning herself in her misery did nothing to help her. And, she had to admit, it was a lovely day outside. Edmund was right, she _was_ wasting away. Her love may be gone, but how well would she honor him by hiding from the world?

"You go on, Ed. I'll meet you there in about an hour," she noticed the skeptical eye he gave her, and added, "I promise I'll come."

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**A/N: This is a mini-fic, so it's only got one more chapter. Let me know what you think of this beginning... and remember, I'm a huge fan of Happy Endings.**


	2. The Young Man with a Cane

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything that is from C.S. Lewis's work. This is just an idea I had, and thought to get it out. Movie based, thank you very much.

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A/N: as mentioned in my disclaimer, this is movie based, and I suppose it could also be AU.

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It was a quiet day, and Lucy walked enjoyed hearing the breeze in the leaves above her. She'd promised to meet Edmund down in the park, and in keeping her promise she'd dressed, left her room, and gone out. It was much easier to go back to bed, but… a promise was a promise. 

The sun felt new on her face. She smiled as she walked the path towards the bench where Edmund would be waiting for her. It was such a beautiful day, she thought to herself idly. If only…

She stopped her walking and put her hand to her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. She'd gone and thought about him, Tumnus, again. Maybe she wasn't ready to go out…

Her mind swirled out of control. The surroundings of the park only spurred on her sadness. The trees reminded her of Narnia, and of her lost love. The green shrubs were much like the ones near his old home, where he had brought her when they first met, so long ago.

Before she knew it, her knees buckled and she had fallen into the grass. She couldn't hold back her tears now. All she could do was try to cry softly, so no one would hear her. The park wasn't very crowded today… Perhaps this would pass in a minute and her siblings would never know…

But, little did she know, someone was nearby who could hear her. She'd fallen not too far from a small park bench. She hadn't even noticed it before, or, if she had, perhaps it had provoked her sadness.

"Miss?" asked a voice, nearly startling her. She tried to look around, but her eyes were so watery it was hard to see.

"Miss? Are you alright?" It was a young man's voice. Lucy hastily wiped a sleeve across her eyes and looked around. There sitting on the bench was a young man, about her own age, with curly hair. "Did you fall?" he asked, turning her way.

Still sobbing, she tried to shake her head, but for some reason, she found she couldn't do it. She couldn't lie. She nodded her head… it was as close to the truth as she could muster at the moment.

"Oh dear," the young man said, "Just… just a moment, Miss… I'll give you a hand up…"

But he didn't rush to her side. Lucy looked up at the bench. It seemed as if the young man couldn't get up… and then she saw why.

The man, who really couldn't not have been much older than herself (well, perhaps he was a bit older… but definitely not older than Edmund), had a cane. He struggled up to his feet and then, slowly, walked her way with a slight swagger. This swagger, she noticed, was not intentional. He wore long trousers, so it wasn't like she could see what was wrong with his legs, but she could tell he just couldn't walk well on them. When he reached her, he stuck his cane out, planting it at her feet and leaned on it.

"I'm afraid," he said quietly, "I can't quite lift you, but I can hold this steady. Go ahead and use it to pull yourself up, Miss. I promise you, it won't budge."

Feeling rather small and childish, she took hold of the knob on the top of the cane and pulled herself up, her tears nearly forgotten. "Thank you…" she said, slowly, "I'm sorry to have troubled you…" Being close to him now, she could tell that he was very simple. His clothes were plain and poor (though she didn't mean this negatively towards him) and his cane looked hand made. It was crafted very well, but it was handmade all the same.

"Wasn't a trouble at all, miss," he said kindly, "But, do let me escort you to this here lovely bench. It's much nicer to sit on than on your knees. Oh! I didn't mean it like that…"

Lucy laughed, the first laugh she'd heard from her own throat in so very long. "That's alright. Really, I ought to be going…" he had taken her arm and was leading her back to the bench. Not that she minded, but she felt strange troubling him. "And I'm sure you don't want me bothering you."

"But you aren't, Miss," he said with a small smile, "It's not everyday I get to walk with a beautiful lady such as yourself. And, walkingtakes alot, occupyingthoughts. I'd much rather sit and get a better look at you."

Lucy blushed (how was that possible?) and let him take her to the bench. Once there, she made sure he was sitting before seating herself. She started to say something to him, but realized he was staring at her, his mouth slightly open. This, while it was flattering, made her feel very much like running back home and hiding under the bed sheets.

"Um, do I have dirt on my face?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

He shook his head, his curly hair, which came to just below his ears, bounced around his face. "Forgive me," he breathed, "I… you just look… have we met before?"

This was a question she wasn't expecting. She looked at him closely… he did look familiar, but Lucy knew she'd never seen that cane before, or with a man so young.

"I don't think so," she replied, "But… ah, forgive my manners – I haven't been near very many people of late – um… my name is Lucy, Lucy Pevensie." She held out her hand to him.

He didn't take it. Instead he was staring at her again, his mouth open wider than it had been the first time.

"It can't be," he breathed.

Lucy frowned at him, "What are you talking about?"

She could visibly see his breathing speed up. "I-" he started uncertainly, "I… am sorry. I just… I've heard that name before, that's all. I'm… my name is Thomas. Thomas Holt."

"Oh," she said, staring at him. He was very odd, and the more she looked at him, the more familiar he became, which bothered her, since she knew she'd never seen him before. "Perhaps you went to school with one of my brothers, Peter and Edmund? You seem closer to Ed's age. Well, you might have also met my sister…"

"Susan…" he finished for her. Turning towards her, he met her gaze and locked his eyes with hers. "I believe you may be right, I think I have met them before."

Without warning, something shot through her, recognition of a kind. His eyes… she knew those eyes. Her breath hitched. Looking at his face, she almost burst into tears again.

Thomas had a fair face and a round nose that was smattered with freckles from the sun. Bright blue, almost grey eyes shone brightly from behind the curly locks of a lighter brown, almost sandy colored hair that the wind brushed into his face. He had thin lips, but his smile was endearing. Most curious of all was his ears – they seemed to stick out, just a little, mostly towards the tips.

Lucy stared at him… her mind was racing. She knew him, but… that just wasn't possible. It just wasn't possible…

Wait a minute, she thought with a lurch. Edmund had insisted she come to the park. Yes, this fellow was most likely a friend of Edmund or Peter or Susan. They'd tried that before – setting her up with someone they all hoped she would fancy. Edmund had to be behind it, though, because he was the only one of the three who knew whom her heart truly belonged. This man, Thomas, had an uncanny resemblance. No doubt, Ed had met him a school and had arranged for him to come to the park and intercept her.

And, oh, the more she thought of it the angrier she became. Thomas? That sounded close to Tumnus. And a cane? What a trick. It was to gain her attention – for truly, had she not broken into tears, she may have noticed a young man with a cane on her own, and stopped to say hello to be kind. Edmund would know that. What a ruse! And she'd fallen for it.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked, drawing back from him. "So, you're a friend of Susan's, then. A lovely joke. Very funny."

He looked confused, "Pardon?"

"Don't play stupid, I figured it out," she spat, disgusted. She leapt to her feet and faced him. "Tell me, right now, who are you really. You do look familiar, and I know someone put you up to this. I demand to know who you are, really."

Still sitting on the bench, the man sighed. "I don't think you'd believe me, now, even if I told you," he said quietly.

"Try me."

Without looking at her, Thomas reached out and took her hand. Lucy gasped, for he didn't take it in a way that we commonly know. Instead, he reached out with his thumb and middle finger, took hold of her hand and shook it. Not as if to greet her, but to literally _shake_ her hand.

People didn't do that. In fact, the only person to ever have done that to her, was Tumnus, so long ago. He... it couldn't be... could it?

No, of course not. Anger and betrayal flooded her brain. How dare Edmund tell someone about that? She had trusted him! Lucy took her hand back and, crying once more, ran onward towards where her brother, if she could still call him that, said he'd be waiting for her.

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(A/N: Okay, so I lied, this is more than a mini-fic. I've realized I can open it up more and have some fun... well, please tell me what you all think of it (that would be in a review, for those who don't know. Please don't _tell_ me, because you'll just look silly talking to your screen) alright? I do love reviews...) 


	3. Confrontations and Heartache

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything that is from C.S. Lewis's work. This is just an idea I had, and thought to get it out. Movie based, thank you very much.

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A/N: The next few chapters are going to be rather spiritual, perhaps not this chapter, but the future ones may be. Given the content or C.S. Lewis's original (and brilliant) works, I don't see a problem with that - in fact, it seems very appropriate to me. But, in case that really offends people (which, c'mon, it shouldn't. This is Fan-fiction, people!) then too bad. I'm still writing it.****

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A/N: The next few chapters are going to be rather spiritual, perhaps not this chapter, but the future ones may be. Given the content or C.S. Lewis's original (and brilliant) works, I don't see a problem with that - in fact, it seems very appropriate to me. But, in case that really offends people (which, c'mon, it shouldn't. This is Fan-fiction, people!) then too bad. I'm still writing it. 

It was Susan who spotted her first.

The remaining three Pevensie's (well, in Susan's case, she was no longer a Pevensie, but instead a Forrester, having married a very nice man by that last name; yet, she was still a Pevensie in her heart, and considered herself so when she met with her three siblings) had just been wondering where Lucy was, and if perhaps she'd gone back on her promise even though she wasn't the kind to do so.

Peter was standing with his arms folded, facing the bench on which Susan was sitting. Expectant with her third child, she wasn't in the mood to stand. Edmund sat beside her, turned half way so that he could speak with both Peter and Susan comfortably. They'd been speaking about Lucy, and how concerned they were about her. Peter had been currently trying to dig the full truth of what was bothering her out of Edmund, but Edmund, ever one to uphold his promises, said he could not unless Lucy agreed.

"Well, fine then," Peter was saying, "But where is she? She did promise, didn't she?"

"Yes she did, and I believe she'll be coming. She seemed eager to get in the sun, I think," Edmund said, toying aimlessly with a string from Susan's sleeve.

"Oh dear," Susan said suddenly, almost sharply. Peter and Edmund looked at her, their first thoughts turning to her expectant stomach, and wondering if all was well. But, she quickly pointed behind Peter, where it was that Lucy had come running around the great hedge, looking terribly upset. "Something's very wrong!" Susan said, getting to her feet as quickly as she could, which wasn't very quick at all.

"Sit, Su," Peter ordered (only half way there, Susan plopped back down on the bench gratefully, though she did give him a slap on the arm for the order). "You don't need to get up… Lucy?" He called, "What's wrong?"

Out of breath, and red faced, Lucy stopped about five feet from them and glowered at Edmund. "How – could – you?" she panted. Running and crying wasn't easy.

Edmund, who had gotten to his feet, took a step back. "How could I what? What have I done?"

Lucy's eyes were burning now. "How could you all do this to me! And you, Ed, I trusted you!"

"Lucy," Susan said, reasonably, "Dear, I'm afraid we don't know what you mean – what have we done?"

"Yes, Lu," Peter added, "What's all this about, anyhow?"

She wiped furiously at her eyes, "Don't 'Lu' me! Where'd you find him? Huh? Oh, yes, it was all jolly good to try and take Lucy's mind off her heart by throwing every boy you find that you think she might fancy at her, but this is too much! How could you have told them, Edmund? How could you have told them about Mr. Tumnus?"

Peter and Susan looked at each other in surprise. It had been a very long time since they'd heard that name, but it wasn't one any of them would ever forget. Edmund, only giving them a brief glance, stepped toward Lucy, "I didn't tell them, Lucy, I swear it!" he said.

She put her hands to her face, "Oh you liar! How else could it be? You've gone and found someone who looks likes him, to try and make me forget him!" she said, crying once more, "He even confessed he knew Susan, so don't lie to me!"

Susan, still seated on the bench, frowned, "Who knows me? Lucy, dear, please stop this hysteria and explain yourself!"

"Thomas Holt," she spat, "Don't pretend you don't know him!"

The three siblings looked at one another before turning to Lucy. Peter cleared his throat and spoke softly to his youngest sister, "We're not pretending, Lucy, nor are we lying to you. None of us know this chap you're speaking of… why don't you come sit down by Susan, here, and explain what has happened to make you so upset?"

Lucy stood for a moment, furiously trying to detect the lie in his voice… but it wasn't there at all. Sniffling, she frowned at her shoes, more out of confusion and heartache than out of anger or embarrassment. Her mind was spinning so fast, and her heart was aching…

Edmund gently took her arm and walked her to the bench. She sat down and Susan wrapped her arm around her. Lucy, tired and hurt, began to explain – briefly what she had confided in Edmund, of her feelings towards her old friend, and then of the man she'd met on her way.

She'd only begun to explain about him, and didn't get to finish, because he'd followed her, as fast as he could (which, like Susan getting up off the bench, wasn't very fast at all)

"Lucy, please!" he called out to her as he approached, apparently with some difficulty, "Please let me explain!"

Peter and Edmund, at once seeing that they did not know this person, as Lucy had originally thought, stepped in front of their sisters protectively (while this fellow wasn't all too different than Edmund in size, Peter was very tall and large, just as he had while he was in Narnia originally, and was rather intimidating). There they remained for a few minutes until the man, Thomas Holt (as Lucy had told them) had approached them better. They didn't, after all, want to go shouting and drawing unneeded attention.

"Who are you?" Edmund demanded once he had come within earshot.

He stopped and looked up, "Oh… I'm Thomas, Thomas Holt. Pleased to meet you…" he trailed off, seeing the Pevensie's as if he'd never seen a person before. The young man swallowed hard, which everyone present noticed.

"Why," Peter began in his deep voice, "Have you come to torment our Sister? And how is it that you know us?"

The man looked around at the four siblings, then slowly hung his head. "I'm a bad… person," he said to himself with a sigh. Then he rose his head and met Peter's gaze without flinching. "I know."

While Peter didn't look away, Edmund glanced at Susan. She shrugged at him, seemingly as confused as he was. Lucy presently had her face buried in Susan's shoulder.

"What do you know?" Peter asked, calmly but sternly. He didn't want to let this chap do his sister any harm, but he knew he himself, along with his siblings, were curious to know more of what the man had to say.

Thomas took a deep breath to steady himself, glanced around the park to see if anyone was nearby (which, no one was) and took a small step closer to the Pevensies.

"I know more than you think I would," he said in a quiet voice. "I… know about Narnia," Susan gasped at this, "And I know that… once king or queen of Narnia, always a king of queen… Majesties," this last word came out as a whisper. All the Pevensies looked at one another, even Lucy, who now had her head up .

Edmund, now genuinely curious, asked, "How do you know about Narnia? How could you know all that, and about us?"

Thomas Holt closed his eyes and gripped the handle of his cane tighter. "I… I was born there."

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**A/N: Sorry about the bit of a cliffhanger here, I really didn't mean to make it one, but it was the best place for a chapter break. But, this is a good thing - the next chapter will be up soon, maybe even today! I swear this is the fastest fic writing I've ever done... this story almost writes itself! Enjoy! (And please review!) **


	4. Lucy's Prayer

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything that is from C.S. Lewis's work. This is just an idea I had, and thought to get it out. Movie based, thank you very much.

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Lucy trembled at his words and goosebumps rose on her arms. The other siblings felt a kind of tingling on the back of their necks.

For a long while, the five people merely stood there, contemplating what was said. A giggling breeze came through the park, ruffling everyone's hair playfully. Lucy looked up at him for the first time since he'd approached them. He didn't say anything to her, but the two of them simply stared at one another for a long while.

Silently, in her own thoughts, Lucy said a quiet prayer. As usual, she prayed for peace, but this time she asked for a little more. She prayed that her anger, and fear, would fade; that the kind, caring and vibrant Lucy – the one that had been slowly vanishing more and more lately – would return, even if for a little while. She asked for the strength to face her current situation, and to be able to know the truth when she heard it.

Meeting his eyes, and holding his gaze, Lucy also prayed to understand what was happening. In his eyes, those very light blue eyes, she could see so much… he wanted her to understand him, to believe him. He was afraid, too, that she'd turn him away. There was such longing, it smote her heart terribly.

_Oh please_, she prayed, _please help me_…

_Aslan…_

A burst of wind flew through the park, sending leaves and dirt everywhere. Squeals were heard from people who had been walking on nearby paths. A great swirl engulfed the Pevensies, startling everyone there… except for Lucy.

Susan covered her eyes and cried out. Even Peter and Edmund were stunned and had to cover their eyes from the dust and biting wind that had sprung on them suddenly. They both turned to the bench and took hold of the rail so as not to lose their bearings.

Lucy, though, suddenly feeling almost like her much younger self, felt mesmerized by the sudden gust. It didn't whip or blind her as it did her siblings, but rather felt as though it was moving around her. In her fascination, she noticed that the wind didn't seem to trouble Thomas Holt anymore than it did her. And he was still watching her.

And then a burst of something – she supposed it was wind, but it could have been dust, too – blew into her face. Her eyes watered instantly and she pulled up her hands to wipe her eyes and cover them…

But there was still an amazing fascination with the wind, and she couldn't hide her face from it. Was Holt finally bothered by it, as well? She blinked her eyes to look at him, and gasped.

It was like a dream, like what she'd dreamt of so many nights. Her eyes were blurry, she was sure, but in the haze, Thomas looked rather different. His dark brown trousers looked crooked and his black shoes were smaller and rounder. He had been wearing an off-white colored shirt with a dark brown vest, but the vest had been pulled off one shoulder making him seem to be wearing a scarf instead. The shirt blended in too well with his own skin amid the haze, to where it didn't look like he was wearing one at all. His curly hair had collected several leaves from the air, sticking out in different ways… a few of the larger ones seemed to give him floppy ears, and two near his forehead seemed unmistakably like horns…

He was, undeniably, a faun.

And, to Lucy's joy and wonder, not just any faun, but her own she'd thought gone forever, Mr. Tumnus.

Lucy squinted at him desperately. For just a moment, he came into perfect clarity, and she could see him in every detail. But, before she could rush to him, as she truly wanted to do, the wind died suddenly as if it had never been. Stillness once again reigned over the park.

"Oh my," Lucy heard Susan say, straightening her hair. Edmund and Peter had begun to get back to their feet and brush the dust from them. "Whatever was that?"

Lucy herself rubbed her eyes to clear them, most excited to tell her siblings of what she'd seen, but when she looked about her, she frowned. Holt, though quite windblown and rather dusty looking, had fallen to the ground, looking just as he had before the wind had come. His cane, though, had bounced out of his reach.

He propped himself up on his elbows and rolled halfway onto his side. Looking around himself, he seemed to spot his cane and then, after meeting Lucy's gaze for a moment, turned away from her, ashamed.

Susan, once her hair was out of her eyes and could see once more, slapped Edmund on the leg (for she was sitting and he was standing, and his leg was much closer than his arm) and motioned for him to help the poor man up. A look at Peter and nod, and both men went to help him up.

"Oh, there's… there's no need…" he tried to protest, though quietly. It was clear to everyone present that he seemed rather ashamed that he'd fallen over.

Peter and Edmund, each quietly saying it was no trouble at all, took one of his hands and each put their free hands under his arms and brought him to a standing position. While they did so, Susan had gotten to her feet and retrieved his cane, which had bounced not too far from her and the bench she'd been sitting on. She had a bit of difficulty bending over to get it, but everyone there knew she was determined to do so, for whatever reason, and knew better than to offer to do it for her.

Once she had it, she slowly walked to where the three men stood, her two brothers helping Thomas to brush himself off while he quietly protested.

"Thomas…" Susan said quietly, mulling the name over while looking at his cane. The man looked up at her, but didn't say anything. "Thomas Holt… I do like that name, you know," she commented, handing him his cane.

He gave her a wisp of a smile, "Thank you…"

Susan didn't hear him, "I recently read a book on names," she patted her stomach thoughtfully, "Trying to decide a little earlier this time."

"Congratulations," Thomas said quietly. Susan nodded.

"Thank you. But," she went on, drawing curious looks from her siblings, "I noticed some meanings on different names. 'Holt' was one of them."

Thomas dug his cane into the ground and leaned on it a little heavier. "Ah,"

Susan nodded silently and waited for a moment. She took the time to look him over, noticing his build and his face. "It means," she said at length, "Son of the unspoiled forest. I am curious of your family's heritage…" She paused again, letting her words hang in the air.

All Lucy could do was listen. She probably would have cried, but in all truth, she'd done so much of that lately, it seemed that for the moment her eyes were all dried up.

"I won't deny," Susan continued, "That you carry an uncanny, and unnerving, similarity to… someone… we all knew. Why, if you don't mind me asking, do you need a cane?"

The group eyed Susan curiously, Lucy most of all, in wondering why she had suddenly asked such a question. The only one who didn't seem troubled by it, what Thomas himself. In truth, he seemed to be expecting it.

"In answer to your first question, dear Lady," he said quietly, (so quietly in fact that Lucy had to finally move from where her feet had glued themselves and take a few steps closer to hear him), "I know nothing of the heritage of my name. Your knowledge on it has been the first I've heard."

Thomas turned, shaking and looking very much as if he was about to cry himself, and began to walk away from the group.

"As for my cane," he laughed a little, though sadly, "Well, I've never been good on my feet. On feet at all," he paused and seemed to consider the cane he held onto, then went on, "But, two centuries on hooves would leave anyone troubled on legs, I'd think."

His words left the others speechless… none of the Pevensies could believe what their ears had heard. It just wasn't possible… it couldn't be… could it?

* * *

**A/N: There you go, the next chapter. I feel like it's rather short, but the next chapter should be up presently. As always, please review and let me hear some feedback, please. I tell you, it is very nice to hear...**


	5. Believe

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything that is from C.S. Lewis's work. The plot, though is mine. This is just an idea I had, and thought to get it out. Movie based, thank you very much.

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**

Lucy watched him walk away from her and her siblings. Each step he took thudded in her chest and her heart ached for it. It was quite a few minutes before her thoughts came to her, and he was almost back around the hedge.

This had been her prayer, had it not? Perhaps not today, but for the last year or so, after she learned that she had loved Tumnus and could love no other. True, it didn't seem possible, but how else could it be?

Her mind drifted to the last time she was in Narnia. She'd seen Aslan himself change, right before their eyes, from a lamb to a lion. If she really had faith in Him, then why did she doubt that this man could be as she had seen in the wind, and once have been her faun? She'd seen more than enough proof of Aslan's powers, and while she had suffered lately, she'd never given up hope that he would hear her prayers, in any form. And, as incredible as it seemed, how else could this happen? Aslan had clearly told Edmund and herself that they would never return to Narnia – though, even if they would have, Tumnus still would have been long gone, and a faun at that. In the same respect, a faun couldn't very well go around London.

And yet, all the same, Lucy's mind was doubtful. Evil could come in many forms, she'd known that first hand, and looks could be deceiving. Not that she knew of anyone who would trick her, but it could be a trick of a kind. And, she thought, it was also possible to be losing her mind completely…

But it was highly doubtful that she and her siblings would all lose their senses at the exact moment.

So, if Thomas was telling the truth… the real question was, could Lucy accept it? Would he even want her now? Could she let him just walk out of her life, and ignore what could possibly be a magnificent gift and blessing given to her as an answer to her long suffering prayers?

"Thomas," she heard herself say, much to her own surprise, "Don't go."

There was a great pause amid their area of the park, one nearly as thick as the dust had been in the wind gust.

Thomas stopped, but didn't turn around. Lucy took the moment to turn to her sister and brothers.

"Can you all forgive me?" she asked them hastily, "For my accusations against you, can you forgive me?"

Peter shook his head, "You know we do, Lu, but… what's going on here? I'd like to believe it, but…"

Lucy didn't expect Peter to quite understand, or Susan (though she may have understood the present situation better than Peter did, perhaps). She turned to Edmund.

She took a breath and started to say something, but her older brother simply smiled at her. "I haven't seen you this alight is too long, Lu," he said quietly. "Go on, find the truth of it, the way only you can. Go on,"

She smiled gratefully. "Thomas!" she called, "Wait!"

She ran towards him. He had turned around and watched her approach with sad eyes. She stopped a small distance from him. Neither said anything for a time.

"I never thought to love you," he said at length, the sunlight glinting off the tears that must have fallen while he'd been walking away. "And looking back now, I can't recall when it began. I… I watched you grow and change, yet you never grew tired of me. You always sought after my company, year after year, and before I knew it, I was seeking yours. Losing you was the most painful experience I've ever known."

Lucy felt hot tears sting her cheeks, but they fell without noticefrom her eyes. "I want to believe you,"

"Then believe," he said simply. His eyes were pleading.

Lucy stepped closer to him. "Tell me something only you and I knew, Thomas. Make me believe… please. I've… I returned to Narnia two more times after leaving it, but so much time had passed that everyone we knew was gone. I was so excited to be back, I didn't notice you weren't there… I was a child again, for in returning home I'd not aged a moment, and one year later when I came back I was still so young…" she inhaled sharply, "But being back, and lately thinking on matter of my heart, all I've thought of is… my friend. I think of no one else, no other man can catch my eye. As a queen, I was so busy, I had no time to love anyone, but here and now… I see clearly that he had my heart, always. And I also knew he was gone, long dead and far beyond my reach. I've prayed for nothing more than peace, that I might go on and live…"

"As did I," he said, taking a step towards her, "I first prayed for you to return, and then after many years, I prayed to go on, for peace. In time it was clear that I would always be alone, and I prayed to die and find my peace with Aslan…"

Lucy covered her face at this, "Oh please, Thomas… tell me something. Something no one else would know…"

He closed his eyes, thinking. Without opening them, he began to whisper softly, "I never hid anything from you, nor from your siblings, nothing but the secrets of my heart, of which you never knew at all. I always spoke honestly and told you all I knew, never to hide anything. I wouldn't have dared… except for your handkerchief. I kept it with me, always, pinned in a fold in of my scarf where only I knew it was…"

"You gave that back to me, though," she said quietly. Her heart was racing with hope… and a growing belief in the unbelievable.

"No, not that one. This one," and from his pocket, the young man pulled a small white cloth, slightly yellowed with age. He laughed a little, "I've had it for so long… I didn't expect to keep it, as I agreed to come here and leave everything behind, but Aslan let me keep it so that I might never forget why I was here… yet I'd completely forgotten I had it. Ironic isn't it? I asked to keep it to remember you, yet it is what I ended up forgetting."

Lucy took a small step backward, a hand over her mouth. It was like seeing something from a dream, almost as if there was another gust of dust and wind to send her another vision. The handkerchief he held was her own, but unlike any she'd ever owned in London. It would have been fit for a queen… it had been, in fact. It had been a gift for her sixteenth birthday from Susan, along with a mirror. The mirror she'd used almost every day in Narnia, but the handkerchief had vanished and she'd thought surely she'd lost it in the woods somewhere.

Her eyes turned up to him. He met her gaze, a faint smile playing on his lips. Deep inside her chest there was a warm sensation, and the longer she stared at him, the greater it grew.

She couldn't deny it; his words were of truth, and she knew it with all her heart.

A smile broke her face as a choked sob escaped her throat, "It's you…" she said. He nodded to her, lovingly reaching out to caress her cheek…

But he didn't get the chance, as the moment she understood and truly believed, her breathing began to race, and as he reached out to her, she fell in a dead faint.

* * *

Lucy found herself sitting in what she thought was originally the park, but the more she looked around, she could see it was not. It looked more like a hill, overlooking a valley.And there was someone beside her. 

She was dreaming. In the back of her mind, she knew two things: firstly that she had fainted and must be dreaming, and also that while she was unable to look at who was beside her, she didn't need to. She knew who it was.

"Do you believe?" He asked from her right.

Still looking out over the mysterious valley, she nodded, "I do."

"I cannot always give such gifts, dearest one. Do you understand?"

"I know," Lucy said, "And I do understand. What I don't understand is why. Why have you given me this gift? I… as grateful as I am, I know I do not deserve it."

"Why would you not deserve it? If you did not, it would not have been given you."

Had she been capable of crying, and she knew that she was not in this dream, then she would have burst into tears. "I was selfish. I wasted my time with him while I had it in Narnia, and then upon my return, I nearly gave up the will to live. That's not what you wanted. I got it into my stubborn head that I could love no other. I suppose I could have tried…"

There was a chuckle beside her. "Dearest one, know this: it was not your time, but mine. Your time in Narnia was spent in my service, and was not your time at all, nor was it wasted. Despite protests from the world around you, you never listened to your heart, in all those years. But, in your world, once you began, you learned the truth: that your heart would forever be with Narnia, and with me. Do you think that you were the first to enter into Narnia and to meet Mr. Tumnus, only by chance?"

She inhaled sharply, "I was supposed to meet him? And before all the others?"

"Yes, child, you were. You saved him, Lucy, the only way he could be saved from his sins, and that was by love. He needed his time in Narnia, but now he is needed here."

"Is it to save me, now?"

"Perhaps. I will not tell you what is to come. The future lies in your hands, you have to make your own choices."

Lucy smiled, "I will never be able to thank you enough."

There was another warm laugh, "Live your life, learn of me, and do well unto others, yourselves, and all around you. That is all I ask, dearest."

"Thank you, Aslan, so very much…"

* * *

"Lucy! Lucy, are you alright?" 

When she came to, she found herself being held in a sitting position. She blinked a little and looked around. Edmund seemed to be supporting her, and Susan and Peter were kneeling beside her – it had been Susan asking if she was alright. Thomas was still standing, but looking very miserable. Though Lucy didn't know it, he was feeling rotten that he was unable to have lifted her up, or to at least have knelt beside her.

"It's true," Lucy said, without preamble. Her siblings looked shocked at her announcement, but she didn't care. They would have to know the truth sometime, so it might as well be right away.

They each knew what she meant.

"Lucy, but how?" Peter asked. "It's not possible, Lu!"

She shook her head, and snapped at her eldest brother, "Where has your faith gone, Peter? And who are you to say what is possible or not? You believe in what we all did, you know that was true. I… oh, do please help me up, Ed," Edmund obliged her, giving her a hand up. She faced Thomas again, carefully approaching him.

"I can't deny what I know," she said, "And I never will. Thomas… do you… love me, as you said?"

His throat visibly tightened, "You know I do, Lucy. Don't ever doubt that… I would do anything for you, anything to be with you," his face reddened a little at this, "The question is… do you care for me?"

"I love you more than life itself," she said, without even blinking or considering her words. "This is an answer to my prayers… having you back… oh, never leave me,"

"Never!" In a rush, Thomas seemed to fall towards her, catching himself with his cane, and wrapped his arm around her, holding her as tight as he could without losing his balance.

Not that Lucy would have let him fall. Her arms were already tightly around his chest, and she never wanted to let go. She buried her face in his shirt, happier than she'd ever been before, and quite far beyond tears. Thomas, though, was shaking with emotion, and hot tears stung his eyes as he buried his face in her hair.

Though all he could physically do was hold her tightly (and barely that, due to his legs), all his heart and mind could do was be thankful – so grateful! – for this, for his Lucy. Never would he hurt her, never would he forget her, and never would he be able to thank Aslan enough.

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**A/N: I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don't worry, this isn't the last chapter... I have at least one more to go, but I'm hoping for two. Review, please!**


	6. Thomas's Tale and a Question for Lucy

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything that is from C.S. Lewis's work. The plot, though is mine. This is just an idea I had, and thought to get it out. Movie based, thank you very much.

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**

That day in the park, there had been much excitement. Passersby believed it to be a reunion of a kind, perhaps of a young pilot coming home from the war. Truthfully, it was a reunion, but one that not many people would fully understand.

After much tears and hugs and other excitement, things quieted down somewhat. Susan Pevensie Forrester had done perhaps most of the crying, once everyone understood the magnitude of the morning's events. Overly excited to see their sister Lucy Pevensie, who until then had seemed to be fading away and even losing the will to live, suddenly come alight once more, as she used to be, her elder brothers Peter and Edmund Pevensie were choked with gratitude.

And then there was Thomas Holt, the young man no older than twenty years who walked slowly and with a cane. Lucy Pevensie had become an almost permanent attachment to his chest, and he did not seem to mind at all. No one looking at Thomas would believe that he was not a native Londoner, or native to our world at all… no one, that is, except the Pevensies. Especially Lucy Pevensie.

After talking for a very long time, about everything and nothing, Susan decided it was time that she headed back home – and that Peter and Edmund were to escort her back, just to be safe. Peter tried to protest, but Edmund and Susan talked him into it, and that left Thomas and Lucy alone in the park. They had, at least, moved and sat down on the nearby bench, though Lucy still hadn't let go of him.

"You know," Thomas said to her hair, "Eventually you will have relinquish your grip, darling,"

"No," she said, matter-of-factly, "I don't think I will."

Thomas smiled at this, "Why is that, my darling?"

"Because," Lucy started, removing her face from his chest and staring up at him, for he was a bit taller than she was and she happened to be slumped on the bench so that she could effectively keep her arms around him, "Then I'll wake up from this dream and die because you will be gone,"

Thomas lifted a hand up and stroked her cheek, thinking how lovely she was. She was just as he remembered, if not lovelier. His memory had, naturally, been through a lot. Nearly a hundred Narnian years without her, and then more years without her… he knew his memory was fading for she was lovelier now than she'd ever been in Narnia. "I'm not going anywhere, love,"

Lucy smiled and placed her head on his chest again. There they remained for a long while, neither caring much to move. People walked by the path and stared, but they didn't care what others thought, either.

After some time, Lucy brought her head up again. "Tu-ah, Thomas… sorry, I'm not used to your name now…"

He chuckled softly, "That's alright. What troubles you?"

Lucy shifted, sitting upright and, still holding his arm, laid her head on his shoulder. "How is this possible?"

"Do you mean me, being here in your world as a Man, or you, putting your head on my shoulder?" he asked, a touch of humor in his voice.

Lucy giggled, "You, silly. You know what I mean. I'm not doubting, but… I don't see how it's possible. I mean, I know anything is possible, but… how?"

Thomas leaned his head on hers and nuzzled her a bit, "Well, I suppose you have a right to know. I…" he sighed, almost embarrassed.While he hadcarried his burdens lightly, having faith in Aslan's promise to,he knewthatLucywas so tender..."I waited for you, after you and your siblings left."

"Yes, you told me that part," Lucy urged, "Then what?"

Thomas smiled at her. She was, just as he remembered, eager as ever. "I knew that if you had gone anywhere, it would have been back to your old home – for why else would you leave? So, all I knew about Spare Oom-"

Lucy snickered.

"-Was that it was near to my old home. I lived there, hoping you would one day return to me. Time went on, the years went by, and it never came. Soon, all too soon, I was nearing the end of my life. I could feel it… but I welcomed it. As I said to you earlier, I wanted to die, hoping that in death I would… would be at peace at last."

Lucy said nothing.

Thomas continued. "The night Aslan came, he said that it was not my time to die, and he gave me an offer. He knew I loved you and that my life had been for nothing, being as empty as it had been when you left… I was tormented, you see."

"Tormented?" Lucy asked, lifting her head and looking at him a little before putting her head back on his shoulder.

"Yes, tormented," he went on, "by what I felt towards you. Fauns don't love Humans, Lucy, they love other Fauns. I had given up the will to live because even if you did return, and had loved me-"

"Which, I would have," she whispered.

"-Even so, I could not have had you. It was impossible because of our different species."

Lucy buried her nose in his arm, "I often considered that as well. It was tormenting to think of, especially since I couldn't deny I loved you and wanted you so badly."

Thomas paused and lifted his arm from her, to wrap it around her and pull her close to him. Then he kissed the top of her head and went on, "Well, as I was saying, Aslan offered me something special. He offered me… well, you. But," Thomas added this quickly, seeing as how Lucy was about to say something, "He warned me that taking his offer would mean leaving everything behind. I didn't know it at the time, but he really meant everything: Narnia, my home, my things, and even my own body. All I kept, which I didn't know I'd still had until much later, was your handkerchief.

"Anyway, Aslan warned me of this. He also said that it would be a long and often times very difficult journey before I found you, but that I would meet you again. I knew he wasn't guaranteeing that you did love me, or that you'd have me, but… seeing you again, even for a moment, was worth it. I agreed."

Lucy, now being held in his arms, sniffed against him. She didn't say anything at first, and both waited a while, letting the truth settle around them for a moment. A breeze giggled around them, at last, stirring Lucy from her reverie. "And then what happened, Thomas?"

His voice became soft against her hair, "I wish I knew better than I do," he began. "I remember Aslan kissing my forehead, and then feeling his breath, and then… it was black. Not black-black, but just… nothing I guess. I felt nothing, did nothing, saw nothing… I thought quite a bit, mostly about you. Then, there was light, and I found myself in a bed, with a doctor examining me."

"What happened? Where were you?"

"I was in an orphanage," he said.

"Oh! How terrible!" Lucy said, squeezing him tighter.

Thomas laughed a little, "Well, I had agreed to rough times," he said. "A doctor was examining me and making sure I was alright. At first, I didn't understand what was happening, but I later learned that the Nuns who ran the orphanage found me outside on the street, on the ground as if I had fainted. The doctor there asked me who I was… I didn't know what to tell them. I tried to tell them Tumnus, but the doctor didn't understand that exactly and called me Thomas, instead. I didn't mind, though, as Thomas was an acceptable name, close to my real name and yet different and new. I…" he paused.

"What was it?" Lucy questioned him.

He sighed. "I was a young boy, Lucy, and I knew little to nothing. All I could do to keep my sanity was to think of Aslan's promise... that I'd see you again. I suppose that starting over with my age was a blessing in disguise, because it gave me a reason to not know things. But, as I was saying, the doctor examined me, and learned that my legs were very weak. I tried, and the doctor tried to help me, too, but I couldn't walk on my own. After almost a year, the Nuns were able to give me braces for my legs,but no one understood that I wasn't used to having legs like these at all! I couldn't tell them that my legs used to bend in different directions, and toes were completely new to me,"

Lucy laughed, in spite of herself.

Thomas laughed, too, "Ah, yes, it may be funny, but it's true. Braces helped to strengthen my weak legs, but they could only do so much. I've never been able to walk without a cane. Braces came off three years later.I learned and grew, always holding onto your handkerchief and wanting to find you. Unfortunately, I didn't know the first thing in order to go about finding you. I lived in the orphanage until two years ago, when a Nun there,a close friend of mine who always tried to help me, found me a job here in London, for a Baker who didn't mind that I couldn't walk too well."

Lucy pulled back and looked at him, "You're a baker?"

Thomas grinned, "Yes. It's all I could do… not many people want to hire a gimp,"

Lucy grabbed his face and turned his face towards hers, "Don't say that!"

"Say what? Gimp?"

"Yes," Lucy said sternly, a hurt look on her face, "Please… that's a horrible word. And it's not true. Don't ever call yourself that again."

He smiled at her faintly, "I'll do my best, your Majesty."

She stiffly rested against him again, "Good… and don't call me that…"

"Oh, no, I have to…" She looked up at him sharply. He smiled and shrugged, "Okay, only when you're being bossy."

She slapped his arm, but smiled anyway.

Thomas laughed at her, then added softly where only she could hear, "You're always going to be a Queen of Narnia, don't forget."

Lucy smiled at him, a little sadly, "I'll never forget Narnia. My whole family is tied to it… I was so blessed to have gone there. But, here in this world, people will think you're being smart with me… and I'm not saying we won't ever fight, but still…"

Thomas pulled her close again, this time even closer than before, and, whisperingin a voice even softer than before, said, "You'll always be a queen… to me."

Lucy looked up at him, her eyes glistening a little, meeting and holding his gaze. Looking so far into his eyes made her heart race. Oh, she believed… but she could hardly believe how blessed she was. A tingling sensation flooded her body, making her feel light headed but not enough to faint. It was, she knew, her love for him full blown.

Thomas reached a hand up andstroked her face, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. Slowly, after resting his hand on her cheek for a moment and caressingit with his thumb, he tilted her head up and brought his lips down to her own.

Lucy felt a slight shock go through her; not painful, but electrifying. She'd been so lost in her thoughts about him while staring into his eyes that she didn't notice he was going to kiss her until just before his lips touched hers. The sensation, more wonderful than any feeling she'd had before, swept through her. She sighed against him.

Surprised by the noise, for he'd never kissed anyone before (how could he have when he'd only ever wanted Lucy?), he started to pull away.Lucy, though,didn't let him. He caught a brief glance of coppery lights reflecting from the afternoon sun on her hair before she'd reached up and taken his face in her own hands and kissed him back.

He groaned a little, mostly from surprise at her kissing him back. His cane, which had been resting across his lap, fell into the grass at his feet when he shifted to hold her better, wrapping one arm snugly around her waist and the other behind her head. Lucy's hands had already given up their hold on the sides of his face, and had brushed past his ears where her fingers entwined in his curly hair.

A small, happy breeze giggled through the park, swirling around them for a few moments. It ruffled their hair and tugged at Lucy's skirt and Thomas's vest. With an almost human quality, it seemed to notice that neither of them cared much about what the breeze did, even if could blow them over, and it went on its merry way, fluttering leaves as it went.

* * *

Some time later, having spent much time being oblivious to gasps and outbursts of their public display of affection, Thomas drew back from Lucy very suddenly. 

She gasped and blinked, "Thomas, what's the matter?"

Tucking loose strands of hair behind both her ears, he pulled her close and rested his forehead on hers, staring right into her eyes.

"Lucy Pevensie," he said in a hush, "I love you,"

Lucy blushed, "I love you, too," she whispered.

He paused, rubbing his thumbs over her face, taking a moment to just take in her beauty, feeling how blessed he wasfor every moment with her. Had he only found her this morning? The morning seemed so long ago, now…

"Then… will you marry me?" he asked, hesitantly.

Lucy's breath caught in her chest. He… did he really want her? Was this too soon? Well, obviously they wouldn't get married today if she said yes, as her parents would surely demand propriety and they'd be engaged for a while, but still… It was true that she'd only found him this morning (was it really that soon?) but… she hadloved him for a lifetime, and, even though it was in a different world, she'd already spent a lifetime with him. True, he'd had goat legs at that time, but it didn't change the fact that he was the one who had been her friend and confidant for all those years… he'd stood by her, always. She'd been too busy to know it then, but she knew now that she'd truly loved him all her life. What else did she need to know?

"Yes," she breathed.

He blinked in surprise, "Even though I can't do everything that I should for you… I can't carry you when you're tired, and I can't pick you up andtwirl you around when you're happy. I won't be able to lift much at home, and," he gulped, remembering one of her very favorite things, "I can't dance with you, either. Even with all that, you would still have me?"

Lucy grinned and snaked her arms up around his neck. She brought her mouth just up to his, only a breath a way, and said, "Yes, and with all my heart," before kissing him again.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, only one more chapter to go... and maybe a few one-shots in the future, just for some fun. I hope everyone likes this chapter... it was wonderful to write. Please review!**


	7. Blessings of Love and Life

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything that is from C.S. Lewis's work. The plot, though is mine. This is just an idea I had, and thought to get it out. Movie based, thank you very much.

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A/N: Well, last night I finally finished the whole of the Chronicles of Narnia with 'The Last Battle'... so beautiful! So, now that I know the whole of it, I tell that this tale is very much A/U, with all due respect to the brilliant Mr. Lewis. **

And, on that note, I hope you all enjoy this last chapter - I know it would be nice for it to go on longer, but all good things must come to an end! But, I do say, this is a really long chapter... I didn't hold back on this one. So, thank you to all the faithful readers who have supported me with the most lovely reviews, and enjoy!

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A/N: Well, last night I finally finished the whole of the Chronicles of Narnia with 'The Last Battle'... so beautiful! So, now that I know the whole of it, I tell that this tale is very much A/U, with all due respect to the brilliant Mr. Lewis. 

Imagine the look on Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie's faces when their daughter, whom they had spent the last few months worrying about terribly, due to her sudden and unexplainable depression, came home from the park happy and laughing and at once began dancing through the house.

Had they known more about such things, they could have compared her dance to, say, a wood nymph. But, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie didn't know much about nymphs, and so they merely thought she was amazingly happy… and had no idea why.

Naturally, Lucy's Mother and Father tried to inquire what had brought about this turnabout in mood, but it seemed that it was near to impossible to gain any information from their youngest daughter. Along with her new happiness, she also had the inability to focus on much of anything at all…

They asked Edmund, who had arrived home after Lucy did (and avoided any and all questions as to where he had been all day) if he had any clue as to what had brought Lucy to such lively hood. Edmund, with a laugh, answered truthfully that he wasn't too sure, but perhaps she'd ran into an old friend… but he supposed it didn't really matter, just as long as she was happy.

Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie were confused, yes, and spent the rest of the night wondering what they could thank for the change in Lucy, but worrying they did not. Nor did they need to wonder for very long.

The next morning, Lucy awoke feeling exceedingly happy and far better rested than she had in a very long time.

At first, she stayed where she was, simply enjoying the feel of the sheet on her bare toes, and how the light from her window played across the room. Her eyes met with the chair that remained by her window sill… it had been there for a long time. In the last few months, she hadn't slept well, and so rather than stay in bed, she would merelysit there, by the window, until morning, and oftentimes continue to sit there until afternoon. But why, she wondered, had she not sat up in the chair last night?

And with a gleeful squeal, Lucy recalled the events of the previous day. She leapt from her bed, unable to sit still a moment longer, and only just managed to slip her robe on over her night dress before she headed for the door to go down to breakfast. By the time she'd gotten halfway down the stairs, she'd completely forgotten to tie her robe closed – or, if she did remember, she didn't care.

Singing down the stairs, she spun into the kitchen where her Mother stood by the stove, cooking breakfast. Mrs. Pevensie was so surprised to see her daughter up, and still as happy as she'd been the night before, she dropped her turner with a clatter to the stove top.

"Good morning, Mother," Lucy sang, kissing her mother's cheek and handing her the dropped turner.

"My darling," Mrs. Pevensie laughed, "Seeing you up so early! This _is_ a good morning!"

Edmund, who had been up only a little earlier than Lucy had, came into the kitchen then, leaning in the door way. He gave his sister a knowing smile, to which she blushed bright red.

"Oh, Lu," he said casually, "Father is in the sitting room and, I think he'd like to speak with you…"

"Alright," she said lightly, flitting past Edmund and heading down the hall.

With a small spin, she turned the corner into the sitting room – and came to a dead stop. Her cheeks flushed bright pink and she quickly grabbed the ties to her robe and closed the front.

Beside her Father, who was seated on the small, modest sofa the Pevensies had in the first room of their house, was a young man with curly hair and a cane. He smiled up at her, mischievously. Despite her embarrassment at being caught in her nightdress, Lucy smiled back.

"There you are, Lucy," said Mr. Pevensie with a smile, "Can you imagine my surprise when this young man turns up at our door this morning, here to speak with me – about you?"

Lucy, suddenly concerned, stuttered in her response, "Uh, w-well-"

But Mr. Pevensie interrupted his youngest daughter, "My question to you, my dear, is: if you are to marry this lad, why haven't you brought him to meet us sooner?" Her Father smiled at her, lovingly.

Lucy giggled, "It's a long story…"

* * *

"Oh, Lucy, stop that wiggling!" Susan protested. 

"I can't help it," Lucy cried, wringing her hands. "I'm terribly nervous!"

Susan smiled at her sister, reaching out a hand to straighten a stray lock of her sister's coppery hair. "You don't need to be nervous, Lucy," she said quietly, hugging her sister tightly, then whispering, "He brings out the best in you, you know,"

Lucy drew back, "Why, whatever do you mean by that?"

Susan hastily wiped tears away from her eyes, "Before you found him," (this was what all the Pevensie siblings had come to call Thomas's return into their lives) "Even your hair was darker. Since that day in the park, you've brightened. You're lovely. You haven't ever looked this bright and happy… not even on the throne at Cair Paravel." This last bit she added in a whisper only Lucy could hear.

As it turned out, after Peter, Susan and Edmund had left Lucy and Thomas in the park, the three of them hadgone straight away to send a wire to their cousin. Eustace Scrubb had been to Narnia on more than one occasion,and wasvery fond of his time spent there. Naturally, Eustace had heard of Mr. Tumnus many times,and had long suspected that there was something more between hiscousinLucy and the faun.The wire had been brief, and so Edmund went tomeet him right awayand discussall of the recent events that had occured– Susan had wanted to go, but had been too tired and needed to get home and rest.Peter'swife, who was expecting their second child, needed him to be home presently for similar reasons.

Eustace had been delighted, and amazed (as they all had been), to hear the news of Mr. Tumnus – or Thomas, as the case was. Edmund, perhaps even more than the others, understood the situation before them and had suspected right away that Thomas would want to marry his sister. This idea pleased him greatly, but he also knew that his own Father, while careful about Lucy's feelings, might need reassurance of the young man. The Pevensies had all grown close to Eustace, especially after the summer that Lucy and Edmund had spent at his home, and Edmund supposed they might need his help; he full remembered the events that followed Susan's engagement.

And, of course, Edmund knew full well that Eustace, and his dearest friend Jill Pole, would have hurt feelings ifthey weren'tincluded in this new adventure, right away. Jill, perhaps most of all, as all the Pevensies knew that she was extremely fond of adventures that didn't involve fighting or swords or fleeing for one's life.

Mr. Pevensie had, in fact, taken a liking to Thomas right away, but still felt the need to find someone who could vouch for his integrity. Eustace and Jill had come into the city to visit within the next few days, and were pleasantly 'surprised' to meet Mr. Holt, whom they insisted was the spitting image of an elderly instructor named Holt they had known at school. Eustace went on and on about how 'jolly nice' their Holthad been. They also spent time speaking with Mr. Pevensie and Thomastogether, speculating on relations and family lines, even though Thomas was an orphan. However slim the chance for a relation between the two Holts was, it stood to reason that he very well could be related, and Jill insisted that if that was the case, Lucy could surely do a lot worse.

So, after much thought and many discussions (but not nearly as much as happened with Susan) Mr. Pevensie gave his consent to Lucy and Thomas.

Over the next few months, there was quite the commotion in the Pevensie house. Edmund was already engaged to a lovely girl named Miranda Linwood, and their wedding was approaching in less than three months. While the Pevensie house wasn't quite as busy as the Linwood house was due to their marriage, Lucy's engagement opened up a whole new business, and that on top of the excitement already present made quite a hullabaloo.

And yet, six months later came in a blink. True, for Lucy and Thomas, it could not come soon enough, but for the other Pevensies, they could hardly believe their eyes when the wedding day arrived at last.

Lucy had been sitting on a stool, fidgeting, while Susan put the finishing touches on her hair and veil. Lucy's dress was very simple, for neither Thomas nor the Pevensies had too much money to spare. (This, though, was not a problem for either Lucy or Thomas. Neither truly wanted a large wedding, and preferred to save their money for their life after the wedding. It was, after all, the life together that mattered, not really the wedding.)

Her dress was very plain, with the exception that it was white. Mrs. Pevensie had extended the hem line down farther, for the original dress had not gone more than six inches below Lucy's knees, and she had embellished a little with lace around the sleeves (which traveled to Lucy's wrists) and around the modest neckline; lovely,butsimple all the same. And,as simple asher dress was, it was perhaps the most lavish part of the wedding. Everyone else was clad in their Sunday best, and in a small church, with not too many people there.

The entire affair was simple and quiet, but exactly as Lucy had hoped it would be.

"No lies, now," Lucy said, modestly to her sister.

"Oh you know I'm not," Susan said, "You're lovely, and I've never seen you happier."

Lucy thanked her sister just as her Mother came bustling in, teary-eyed, telling them it was time.

* * *

Soft music played through the church while Jill and Susan came down the isle first. Thomas, standing next to Edmund and Peter, watched and waited. After a few slow moments (during which Thomas feared that he'd never see her, that she'd not come around the corner and through the doors at all) Lucy came around the corner, dressed all in white. 

Thomas felt his eyes fill with tears at the sight of her. He felt Edmund place a hand on his shoulder, but he was quite unable to look away from Lucy. In the congregation, Professor Digory Kirke (who had come into the city especially for such a joyous occasion) patted the shoulder of his companion, and best friend, Polly Plumber, who blew her nose in her handkerchief.

In no time at all, she wasright beforehim. Not even her veil could hide the tears that were already falling from her eyes,mirroring the ones thatfell from his. Nothing mattered, to either of them, at that moment. It was as if the entire church had vanished and they were the only two people on earth.

Lucy blinked as Edmund handed a ring to Thomas, who placed it on her finger, and then a ring to her, which she placed on his finger, in kind.

And then the Priest's words entered into her thoughts, bringing her into the moment.

"… until death do you part?" this was said to Thomas. Lucy smiled.

Thomas smiled back. "No,"

Lucy blinked and frowned as a small gasp echoed throughout the room.

But, expecting this, Thomas reached out and took Lucy's hands, saying, "I, Thomas Holt, take thee, Lucy, to be my beloved wife from this day forward, to have and to hold for time and all eternity, and swear to you to stand by you always with a solemn promise to you, before God, that regardless if we be together, apart, rich, poor, or even temporarily separated by death itself, that I shall always be faithfully yours."

Lucy began crying in earnest now. Several noses blew in the small congregation.

The Priest seemed a little flustered by Thomas's vow, but continued anyway, "And do you, Lucy…"

But Lucy cut him off. Thomas's words had engraved themselves on her memory, and her heart. "I, Lucy Pevensie, take thee, Thomas, as my beloved husband from this day forward, to have and to hold for time and all eternity, and swear to you to stand by you always with a solemn promise to you, before God, that regardless if we be together, apart, rich, poor, or even temporarily separated by death itself, that I shall always be faithfully yours… I love you…" she added hastily, unable to hold back.

And then they were joined together, and Edmund took Thomas's cane for a moment while he lifted Lucy's veil and kissed her sweetly. And, just as had happened that day in the park, Thomas started to pull back, but Lucy pulled him closer and kissed him again. Both kisses were sweet and chaste... but Lucy made a silent promise that that would change, later on. Little did she know that Thomas had much of the same idea.

Never had either of them had ever been as happy as that moment, especially knowing that now, regardless of what world they were in, alive or dead, they would be together forever. That was all that mattered.

* * *

Lucy sat straight up in bed, breathing heavily. The room was dark and she couldn't see well, but she felt around frantically on the other side of her bed. 

Nothing. The sheets weren't even wrinkled on that side.

Her breath came quicker, "No…" she breathed frantically.

She'd been dreaming again… was it all a dream? Had it all been a dream? She began shaking all over – she'd die where she stood if it was all a dream…

"Thomas," she called out, her voice quaking, racing for the bedroom door. "Thomas… Thomas!" her voice had risen in pitch, slightly.

She threw open the bedroom door and her eyes were instantly assailed with bright light. Lucy blinked furiously, trying to focus her eyes to see. The lights were on in the living room. Lucy's eyes cased the room… it appeared to be empty…

"Thomas!" she cried, near hysteria, now.

"Darling?" his head popped up from the other side of a large backed chair he'd been sitting in, beyond where she could have seen him. "Are you alright?"

"I…" she paused, "I woke and you weren't there…"

He rubbed his eyes tiredly, "I'm sorry, dearest… I was busy in here and fell asleep in the chair…" he yawned, "… musta forgot to go to bed, I guess. Oh, Lucy, were you dreaming that dream again?"

Heaving a shaking sigh of relief, Lucy crossed the small room and fell to her knees in front of him, laying her head on his lap, "It always starts so lovely, recalling how we found each other and our wedding day…"

"And then you lose me, don't you?" he said, stroking her hair gently.

"Yes. And waking to find you gone was… was just so… so frightening!"

He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "Up," he said simply, taking her hand and pulling her to sit on his knees and wrapped his arms around her. Once there, pulled her close and just held her tightly. "My darling," he said to her softly, "It's been a year since you and I married. I'm not going to leave you, ever."

She sniffed against his chest, "I know, I just… I'm afraid that I'll still wake up and you'll be gone from my life as quickly as you came back into it…"

He kissed the top of her head, "I know. I have dreams like that, too. Of course, when I wake, it's easier for me to know it all did happen and it's all still real, because of my legs. Sheets against skin and feet and toes, feels rather different than sheets against fur and hooves."

Lucy exhaled against his neck, feeling him shiver slightly as she did so. "Do you ever regret it?"

"My choice? Never. Never in a million years would I ever..." his voice died away as his mouth found hers and he kissed her hungrily.

Lucy, perfectly content with where she was, was rather reluctant to end the kiss, but did so as she remembered something she'd forgotten. Thomas sighed as she pulled away.

"Wait, it really has been a year, hasn't it?"

He smiled at his wife, "Yes, as of…" he checked the clock on the mantle over the fire place, a few meters from his chair, "…three hours ago."

Lucy smiled brightly, "One year and three hours of pure heaven! Did you get me anything?" she added with a grin.

Thomas, knowing his wife all too well, grinned back. "It's what I fell asleep doing, my dear," he reached an arm over the edge of the chair and took hold of something Lucy hadn't seen before.

"I didn't wrap it," he warned, "But I won't make you close your eyes," he pulled it over her head and into her sight. "Happy anniversary, my love."

Lucy gasped. It was a detailed drawing (this was something she'd learned of him in Narnia, that he was quite the artist, and his hands had retained their talent over the years) of Lucy, standing in grand finery, with Thomas himself standing in clothes she'd only seen Peter wear, at Cair Paravel.

She clutched the home-framed sketch and stared at it. "Oh Thomas… it's lovely… how could you remember all those details?"

He smiled at her, "You aren't the only one to have dreams of the past, darling. Now… what about you?"

"What about me?" she teased.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and tickled her lightly, "You goose! I've gone and given you a gift, what did you get me?" In truth, he didn't care about gifts, for he treasured every day with her, and no gift could compare to that, but he knew gifts mattered more in her world, so he played the game.

She smiled at him and sat the drawing aside, "I confess, this gift is a bit of a cheat, but still…" she ran her fingers through his curly hair and took a moment to kiss him as deeply as she could. He shivered more than he had the last time.

Then, just as she felt him kissing her back, she pulled away, just a little, and moved her lips to his ear, while at the same time claiming one of his hands topress it against her stomach.

And then, in a voice so small, barely above a whisper, she said, "My dear Thomas… you're going to be a father,"

He drew back sharply. "What? Really? No jokes?"

Smiling at him, grinning wildly, she shook her head, "No jokes. Not about this."

He mouthed silently for a moment, eyes wide, staring about the room, "Are you sure?" he asked at last.

Lucy nodded. "This," she pressed his hand against her stomach again for emphasis, "Will be a lot bigger, before long. Happy anniversary."

Thomas met her gaze, his eyes brimming with tears. She frowned, "You're not upset are you?"

He shook his head, "Just when I thought I couldn't thank Aslan any more…" he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, "I know now I'll never be able to stop! Oh, Lucy, I love you so much!"

"I love you, too," she whispered, "Forever, my dearest, and always!"

"Yes," he said, "For Always."

**Fin.**

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**A/N: (sniff) Aw, even I am choked up, now that it's the end... but, as I've said, fear not! I like Thomas and Lucy, and I'll surely bring them back for a few one-shots... after all, there's a whole year we haven't seen, right? It may be a while, but still, I'll probably bring them back. ****So, it's been awesome! I hope you all enjoyed reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it! **

**Really quickly, I'd like to add in a special thank you to my very good friend, Razorbomb (XD), for reading over this, sharing her thoughts on it - and other stories - and being a super sweetie who graciouslypointed out those pesky typoes. Love ya!**

**And, this story was written with a very good friend, Jen, in mind. Her strength, endless humor, and prowess with the trendiest cane around, inspired much of what I wrote. Thank you, Jen.**

**Lots of love, until next!**

**MartiOwlsten**


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